Automatic current-regulator.



No. 674,942. Patented May 28, 190i.

S. D. -SPBONG.

AUTOMATIC CURRENT REGULATOR.

, (Application filed Mar. 16, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented M ay 28 No. 67 L942,

S. D. SPRONG. AUTOMATIC CURRENT REGULATOR.

(Application filed Mar. 18, 1901.) (No Model) T 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- SEVERN I). SPRONG, OF LONGBRANOH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- .HALF TO JAMES H. HARNDEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC CURRENT- REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 674,942, dated May 28, 1901.

Application'filed March 16- 1901. Serial No. 51,486. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-:

Be'it known that I, SEVERN D. SPRONG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Longbranch, county of Monmouth, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Current- Regulators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accom pan ying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to automatic currentregulators,the object thereof being to supply an inexpensive, compact, and readily-operative device which is adapted to maintain a constant current in an alternating current circuit irrespective (within certainlimits) of the pressure of supply or the pressure required in the circuit of the regulator to operate the lamps or other devices. It is designed, primarily, to supply are and incandescent lamps in series and requiring for the circuit a variable voltage, but a constant current (within, say, one-tenth ampere) taking its supply from constant-potential mains.

The invention will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved regulator, showing the parts in normal balanced relative arrangement. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in different relative arrangement; Fig. 3, a plan View. Fig. 4. is a diagrammatic view illustrating the circuits, and Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the laminated core forming part of the device.

In the practice of my invention I employ, primarily,a solenoid comprising a pairof coils A A, composed of insulated copper wire wound in suitable form upon spools a, which are preferably squared, as illustrated in the drawings. These coils are secured'to a supporting-frame B by means of screws or other suitable fastenings, as b. In conjunction with the said coils A, I employ an approximately U-shaped laminated iron core (1, which embodies the horizontal portion 0 and 50 the vertical extensions 0, which are adapted to move vertically within the openings of the coils A. The said core 0 is laminated in the direction of its length, as clearly shown by Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The core 0 is supplied with a centrally-located vertical rod D, which is connected at its upper end to the central part of a horizontal bar E, having end eyes 6 engaging suspending-cords F, which are connected to the swinging supporting-beams G. In lieu of the said cords I may use chains, ribbon, or tape, if found desirable.

The swinging beams G respectively embodya knife-edged supporting-spindle g, extended therethrough, a peripherally-grooved segment g, and a peripherally-grooved segment 9*. The said beams are supported on suitable brackets, as H, the knife-edges of the spindles engaging the shallow notches h, whereby the beams are respectively fulcrumed from the point of the knife-edge of the spindle in such a manner as to minimize friction during the operation of oscillating them. I

The upper portions of the tapes or cords F engage the grooves of the segments g, and they are securely fastened to the segments at their upper ends by means of the screws'l, or any other suitable fastening may be employed. As a means for suspending the frame B and its connected coils A A a tape, cord, or other suitable similar device F is attached to each grooved segment 9 at its upper end by means of the screws 2, the lower ends of said cords being secured to the frame B at each end thereof.

As ameans for differentially balancing the parts I employ a pl nrality of removable weights I, which are supported on a rod I, which is extended downwardly from the central portion of the frame B.

The segments g are concentric with the fulcrum-points of the knife-edged spindles g,

but the segments g form parts of smaller cir-- cles. The object of thisdifference is that uniformity of the eflectiveweight of the core C relatively with the fulcrum-points be maintained during all movements of the lovers and that the effective weight of the coils A A shall be maximum when the levers are horizontal, as shown by Fig. l of the drawings, and minimum when the core O is entirely out of the coils, as shown by Fig. 2, or when the said core is entirely in the coils. The reason for this variation is that "the pulling action of the coils A A on the core Ois maximum when the core is half-way in the coils'and minimum when the core is just entering or when it is fully in, thus affording efficient means to balanc'e the weight of the coils A A and such 'additional weig'htas may be carried on the rod 1 against the weight and varying magnetic pull of the core 0. I

Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings, J represents an'alternating-current generator,K and K distributing-mains therefrom, and L an example of ordinary multiple lighting. 'M represents a line leading 01f from distributingmain K to circuit of arc-lamps N, then through regulator-coils at m, and then back to mains cuit, a solenoid, in combination with oppoat M, all of said arts being in series.

In the operation of the invention the work i of the regulator is to cut down by an automatically-adj usted reactance the surplus vol- 1 tage of the circuitthat is, supposing the supply is two thousand and each of ten lamps takes eighty volts, or a total ofeight hundred, this leaves twelve hundred volts to be out down by the regulator, which is effected by the more or less reactance in the regulator coils as the core is entered more or less. For

instance, the circuit requires seven and one-- half am peres, which must remain practically constant irrespective of the number of lamps thrown on or off. Then the weight of the core 0 added to the pull of seven and onehalf amperes just balances the weight of the coils A A. Suppose some of the lamps are thrown off. Then the current tends to increase; but the added pull of this increase 'of current disturbs the balance and causes the core 0 to further enter the coils A A, which increases the reactance and cuts down the current to seven and one-half amperes, when it is again in balance. Obviously when the core enters the coils the action is efiected by mutual movement of the core and coils, each.

travelingpart way or approaching each other, owing to the arrangement of the leverssupporting the said parts.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to govern alternating circuits by reactance or by a coil and core, and therefore I do not lay claim to the idea broadly. The novelty of my invention is that the parts are mutually end to the coils of the electromagnet andat the other end to the core thereof, whereby the 'partsare mutually and automatically balanced, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an automatic current-regulator,'an oscillating balanced beam mechanism actuated by an electric current to automatically regulate said current, in combination with an electromagnet having its coil suspended A from and supported by the outer ends of the beams of said beam mechanism and its core suspended from and supported by the opposite ends of said beams, whereby the parts are mutually and automatically balanced, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a regulator formaintaining a constant current in an alternating-current .cir-

sitely-located oscillating beams supporting the coils of the solenoid from their outer ends and the core thereof from their inner ends, substantially as shown and described.

4. In an automatic current-regulator, a pair of oscillating balanced beams actuated by an electricc'urrent to automatically regulate said current, in combination with a solenoid and means suspending the solenoid from the said beams, the coils 'of said solenoi'd supported by the outer ends of the said beams and the core from the inner ends of said beams, whereby the parts are mutually and automatically balanced, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination, with an electric genorator, of a'solenoid and other electricallyactuate'd devices arranged in circuit, two oppositelylocated oscillating beams having grooved segments on their respective ends, and arranged to support the solenoid, and suspending means connecting the outer segments of the beams to the 'coilsof thesolenoid, and-similar :means connecting the core of the solenoid to the .inner segments of said beams, whereby the parts are mutually and automatically balanced, substantially as shown and described. 6. The combination, with an electric generator, of a solenoid and other electricallyactuated devices arranged in circuit, two op positely-located balanced beams supplied respectively with an inner zgrooved segment which is peripherally concentric with the beam-fulcrumand an outergrooved segment forming part of a smaller circle, suspending means connectingthe said outer segments to the coils of the solenoidand suspending'means connecting the said inner segments to the core of said solenoid, whereby the parts are mutually and automatically balanced, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I ha've signed my name, in presonce-of two witnesses, this 4th dayof March,

QSEV-ERN D. sPnoNe."

Witnesses:

RUSSELL BAROHERS, H. 0. RICHARDSON. 

